| 1984 | ...paying her dues... |
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After taking about four months from the tour to train, Steffi emerged to play in late March. Her rustiness showed and she lost in first round. In fact, it took her over a month and four first-round losses before she finally won a match in the main draw of a tour event. Steffi made up for it, though, by stringing together three wins in reaching the quarterfinals where she lost three and love to compatriot Claudia Kohde-Kilsch. Moreover, Steffi played much better in the summer and had a great showing at Wimbledon by reaching the round of 16. She plays on its famed Centre Court for the first time, and although she losses the match, Steffi does not disappoint anyone, giving 10th-seeded Englishwoman Jo Durie all she could handle in a fiercely contested affair, 6-3, 3-6, 7-9. Later in her career, Steffi would remember crying after the loss, and she'd also remember being tugged back by Durie who had to remind her to curtsy to the royal box before exiting the court. |
Playing on Centre Court
Steffi wins the tennis demonstration event at the Los Angeles Olympics. Her opponent in the final was Sabrina Goles from Yugoslavia, the score was 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Later, Steffi admitted that she had expected to do well because she felt she was playing very well. She would also admit, however, that she surprised even herself by winning the whole thing.1984 Olympic Champion
- Steffi was the youngest and the best in a field that included Tracy Austin.
She won the title,but it was only a demo tournament in 1984.
- Next,she played in her first regular tour final against Catarina Lindqvist. Steffi lost by 1-6, 4-6 in Fiderstadt, part of Stuttgart and relatively close to where she grew up in Germany.
